Hair catching headband device for disabled persons

ABSTRACT

A device for preventing long hair from getting in the way of daily activities for disabled persons is disclosed. In one embodiment, a hair catching headband device for keeping the hair out of a person&#39;s face comprises a headband section configured to comfortably fit around the person&#39;s head; a left hair catching region adjoined to a bottom left hand portion of the headband section, and a right hair catching region adjoined to a bottom right hand portion of the headband section.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a device for preventing long hair from getting in the way of daily activities for disabled persons.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

People suffering from physically debilitating diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or “ALS,” may have difficulty holding their hair back while doing certain activities, such as eating, drinking, washing one's face, or applying makeup. While traditional headbands or hair ties may hold back the hair of patients with such physically debilitating diseases, such objects have drawbacks. For example, a person with ALS, or another debilitating disease, may have a difficult time putting hair ties into their hair without assistance from another person. Moreover, hair ties alone may not prevent hair from getting in the way when the person has very long hair. While a traditional headband may be easier for a person with a physically debilitating disease to put on, a traditional headband also does not adequately prevent a person's hair from getting in the way, when the person is taking part in daily activities.

Accordingly, there is a need for a comfortable device that allows a person with ALS, or another debilitation disease, to be able to enjoy everyday activities while preventing their hair from getting in the way.

SUMMARY

An embodiment of the present invention is directed to a hair catching headband device, comprising: a flexible headband section having a left end and a right end, wherein the headband section has a curved shape such that the left end and right end and is configured to fit around a person's head; a left hair catching region adjoined to the left end of the headband section, wherein the left hair catching region extends down and outward from the headband section; and a right hair catching region adjoined to the right end of the headband section, wherein the right hair catching region extends down and outward from the headband section.

Further embodiments of the present invention includes wherein the hair catching headband is configured so that a bottom portion of one of the left hair catching region and the right hair catching region is in close proximity to a shoulder of the person when the headband section is fit around the person's head so to prevent the person's hair from flowing underneath the one of the left hair catching region and the right hair catching region; wherein the bottom portion of one of the left hair catching regions and the right hair catching regions is a shoulder support region; wherein the shoulder support region is made of a softer material than the one of the left hair catching region or right hair catching region; wherein the width of either the left hair catching region or right hair catching region does not exceed 2 cm; wherein each of the left hair catching region or right hair catching region contains at least one hole; wherein each of the left hair catching region and right hand catching region extends between 5 cm to 20 cm outward from the headband section; and wherein each of the left hair catching region and right hair catching region extends between 3 cm to 15 cm downward from the adjoining section.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary hair catching headband described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the invention. With reference to FIG. 1, a hair catching headband 101 is shown. Hair catching headband 101 includes a headband section 103, a left hair catching region 105, and a right hair catching region 107. The left hair catching region 105 and right hair catching region 107 are adjoined to the headband section 103 at adjoining points 109 and 111, respectively, by any suitable means. The adjoining points are preferably located at lower portions of the headband section 103. Such a position advantageously enables the left hair catching region 105, and right hair catching region 107 to be situated beneath a person's head (adjacent to their neck) where hair ordinarily may get in the way when a person is doing daily activities. Further, the headband section 103, the left hair catching region 105, and right hair catching region 107 may all molded together, and/or created from one piece of material (e.g. plastic).

The headband section 103 is designed to comfortably fit to a person's head so that the headband section does not easily slide off of a person's head. The headband section may be comprised of a suitable flexible material that is sufficiently bendable to form tightly yet comfortably to the person's head, such as plastic. The headband section 103 should be bendable enough to be expanded about the person's head, but should also return to substantially its original shape when removed from the person's head.

Both the left hair catching region 105 and right hair catching region 107 have particular dimensions and shape. In an exemplary embodiment, left hair catching and right hair catching region has the same dimensions and shape, and will be made of the same material (and thus have the same weight) so that the hair catching headband 101 will be balanced. Other arrangements are possible, for example, the left and right hair catching regions may be different shapes from one another, or made of different materials from one another.

The left hair catching region 105 and right hair catching region 107 may be made of synthetics (such as plastics, fibers, or elastomers), foam, wood, and the like. In an exemplary embodiment, the left hair catching region 105 and right hair catching region 107 are made of lightweight materials so to not be a strain for a person (usually a disabled person) wearing the hair catching headband 101. In an exemplary embodiment, the width of the left hair catching region and right hair catching region does not exceed 2 cm. The width refers to the direction in the z direction of FIG. 1 (the width of the left and right hair catching regions of FIG. 1 into the page).

The left hair catching region 105 and right hair catching region 107 may contain holes, such as hole 113, so that the hair catching headband 101 may remain lightweight. Further, the holes may make it easier for a person, or a person taking care of a patient, to carry the hair catching headband. The holes 113 should be small enough to prevent an excess amount of hair to flow through when a person bends over or turns their head. Holes may be triangular in shape, as illustrated in FIG. 1, or rectangular, circular, any other shapes. Triangular shapes, as shown, in FIG. 1 advantageously may help the left and right hair catching regions resemble earrings, so that the person wearing the hair catching region may not appear to be wearing a medical device for catching their hair, but rather large earrings.

The left hair catching region 105 and right hair catching region 107 extends outward from the adjoining points of the headband section 103 so that a person's hair is blocked from failing towards the person's face and interfering with day to day activities, like eating. However, the left and right hair catching regions should not extend so far outward from the headband section that it interferes with the movement of the person's head, or otherwise becomes impractical for a person wearing the hair catching headband 101 for traveling. In an exemplary embodiment, each of the left hair catching region 105, and right hair catching region 107 extends between 5 cm to 20 cm from the adjoining points of the headband section outward. Further, in the exemplary embodiment the left hair catching region 105, and right hair catching region 107 extends between 3 cm and 15 cm from the adjoining points of the headband section downward from where the headband section and left and right hair catching regions are adjoined, respectively.

In the preferred embodiment, the hair catching headband 101 is designed so that when the headband section 103 comfortably sits on a person's head, the bottom most portion of the left hair catching region 105 and right hair catching region 107 may occasionally touch the person's shoulder and or neck. The left hair catching region 105 and right hair catching region 107 may contain a shoulder support region on the bottom portion of the left hair catching region 105 and right hair catching 107 (e.g. 115 and 117 shown in FIG. 1). The shoulder support region may be made of softer material, such as, foam, leather, cotton, and the like. The should support region of the left hair catching region and right hair catching region makes the hair catching headband 101 more comfortable for a person to wear if the left or right hair catching regions bump into the person's shoulder while the person is turning, bending over, or performing some other movement.

As shown in FIG. 1, the shoulder support regions 115 and 117 include a small padded section on the bottom portions of the left and right hair catching region. The shoulder support region, however, may extend to a wider portion of the person's shoulder. The shape of the shoulder support region may depend on the shape of the bottom portion of the left and right hair catching regions.

Both the left hair catching region 105 and right hair catching region 107 may be able to hinge where they are adjoined to the headband section 103 at adjoining points 109 and 111. The adjoining points may be a hinge (metallic or plastic, or other suitable material) that enables the left hair catching region 105, and right hair catching region 107 to rotate about the headband section 103. The hinge may be a restive, or friction, torque hinge, that enables the left and right hair catching regions to be resistive against motion, so that the left and right hair catching regions are only rotated about the headband section 103 if moved with suitable force. This will prevent the left and right hair catching region from being inadvertently rotated.

The hinged of the adjoining points 109 and 111 may be another suitable type of hinge or joint that enables such a rotatable, yet resistive motion. The left hair catching region 105 and right hair catching region 107 may be rotated about the hair catching region so that the person wearing the hair catching headband 101, has more flexibility to prevent their hair from interfering depending on the activity performed or how long the person's hair is.

The terms and descriptions used herein are set forth by way of illustration only and are not meant as limitations. Those skilled in the art will recognize that many variations are possible within the spirit and scope of the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A hair catching headband device, comprising: a flexible headband section having a left end and a right end, wherein the headband section has a curved shape such that the left end and right end and is configured to fit around a person's head; a left hair catching region adjoined to the left end of the headband section, wherein the left air catching region extends down and outward from the headband section; and a right hair catching region adjoined to the right end of the headband section, wherein the right air catching region extends down and outward from the headband section.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein the hair catching headband is configured so that a bottom portion of one of the left hair catching region and the right hair catching region is in close proximity to a shoulder of the person when the headband section is fit around the person's head so to prevent the person's hair from flowing underneath the one of the left hair catching region and the right hair catching region.
 3. The device of claim 2 wherein the bottom portion of one of the left hair catching regions and the right hair catching regions is a shoulder support region.
 4. The device of claim 3, wherein the shoulder support region is made of a softer material than the one of the left hair catching region or right hair catching region.
 5. The hair catching headband device of claim 1, wherein the width of either the left hair catching region or right hand catching region does not exceed 2 cm.
 6. The hair catching headband device of claim 1, wherein each of the left hair catching region or right hand catching region contains at least one hole.
 7. The hair catching headband device of claim 1, wherein each of the left hair catching region and right hand catching region extends between 5 cm to 20 cm outward from the headband section.
 8. The hair catching headband device of claim 1, wherein each of the left hair catching region and right hand catching region extends between 3 cm to 15 cm downward from where the left hair catching region and right hair catching region, respectively, adjoins the headband region. 